


Just A Friend

by EstyFur



Series: Just a Friend [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Drama, Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-02-26
Packaged: 2018-05-13 04:09:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5694193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstyFur/pseuds/EstyFur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is Arthur’s friend. A friend that getting a fight with him over small things in regular basis, take care of his baby, doing his laundry, cooking him three meals a day, and sleep in the same room with him. yes, Merlin is just Arthur’s friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Arthur should have seen it coming.

  
Sophia, his loving wife is too good to be true, she is always dotting on him, always trying to please him. putting his every needs above her, and just... perfect. She is just to good to be true.

  
Arthur should have seen it, all the little clue, all the nervousness when he come home from a business trips, all the small glance when she think he is not looking. he is working in a security firm, and he is the sodding _CEO_ of the damn company. Detecting lie and judging people’s personality should be easy for him.

  
But Arthur didn’t see it coming until Sophia is in labour and screaming her confession at him, and asking his forgiveness of her betrayal. Arthur is going numb, he remember getting off early from his job yesterday to stand beside his wife waiting patiently and eagerly for their first born. He is expecting all the craziness that came with a labour, he already heard a lot of story about that. But he didn’t expect a confession for a betrayal, the betrayal that is going as old as his married life.

  
When the last apologies leaving his wife mouth Arthur let go of his wife hand and look into a pair of amazing shade of blue that starring back at him. a single tear slide from his eyes before a high pitch cry broke inside the labour chamber.

  
\---

  
Arthur didn’t care, the moment he locked gaze with the baby’s blue eyes he know he will keep the baby, even when he already know that the baby boy probably not even his.  
After Sophia recovering from the delivery she leave, without a word, leaving him alone with the baby. Not that he mind, now he know for sure the reason behind those nervous glance and the overly nice treatment he can’t bring himself to care about the woman.

  
And he glad Sophia leave James to him, yes he decide the baby name will be James the second he look at the baby tiny face.

  
But it didn't mean he can take care of the small human. Hell, he even barely taking care of himself. That’s why, three weeks after James is released from the hospital Arthur find himself in an almost crazy state, he barely eating, sleeping, and bathing. He can’t even remember the last time he take a bath and changing his clothes.

  
And the baby is not helping his condition at all, the little guy just confusing him more with his random crying. Morgana is stopping by in every few days, but she is almost not helping him with his situation, with her knowledge about baby is almost as good as him.

  
Arhtur is in the verge of breaking down when his doorbell rang, he rush to the door with James still crying in his arm. When he finally manage to open the door he almost burst in tears with the sight that greeting him. he still cant believed his eyes when he look at Merlin’s bright blue eyes. There, in front of him is his friend that he never see for a year long. There, in his very own porch is Merlin, with a battered suitcase in tow.

  
“Merlin....” Arthur manage to say in between his shock and James loud cry.

  
Merlin squint his eyes and eyeing him suspiciously before letting a small gasp.

  
“Arthur?”

  
He is still in shock when Merlin is taking James from his arm and gesturing for him to take care of his lungage. He following Merlin blindly through the garbage bin that he called his living room and the hallway when his friend is taking his hand and pushing him toward his bathroom.

  
“go take a bath, i will take care of the rest.”

  
He just about to say something when Merlin push him toward the bathroom and slam the door in his face, making him forgetting all the thing he want to say to his friend. Arthur just stare at the door silently for a few minutes before he do what his friend say. he take a slow shower, enjoying the drop of water that falling on his shoulder for once in the three weeks since he have James. The water is soothing his nerves, slowly releasing him from his three weeks worth of stress.

  
He don’t even realize that James is not crying his lungs out anymore.

  
\---

  
Arthur wear the only fresh pair of clothes he have left in his wardrobe, and make his way to his kitchen where he know his friend and his son is waiting from the delicious smell wafting in his nosetrill, and as if on clue his stomach is starts growling, reminding him that he haven’t eating anything since he woke up this morning. What greet him in his kitchen is making his steps faltering for a second.

  
Merlin is sitting in the dinning table and feeding his son a bottle of milk with a small smile, in the other side of the table there is a warm pasta and a glass of fresh water. Arthur sight is focusing on his son in Merlin arms to much, he almost missing the detail in his kitchen, somehow his messy kitchen look a little bit tidier since the last time he see it, and that is just a few minutes ago.

  
“he look content.” He greet Merlin and offering a small smile to his friend.

  
Merlin look at him for a few moment and smile softly at James in his arm. “he is a good boy, he fall aslep as soon as I give him his bath and his milk.”

  
Arthur sit in front of Merlin and look at his son sadly. “he cry all the time with me”

  
Merlin snort and push the plate of pasta at him, telling him to eat the food. “baby cry all the time, that’s their way of communicating Arthur, they can’t talk.”

  
“I know.... it’s just... looks like i’m not good at taking care of another human being. Look at him, it’s not even one hour after he meet you, and he is already falling asleep in your arm. With me? It take me three days.”

  
Arthur eat his pasta and almost moaning by the delicious taste in his mouth. He pretend that he didn’t know that Merlin looking at him intently.

  
“what happen? Where is Sophia?”

  
“she left.” Arthur didn’t know why, but hearing her name mentioned is making something clenching in his chest. Arthur take a glance at his friend and he can see that his friend is still looking at him intently. “I don’t want to talk about her.”

  
Merlin nod once and sighing heavily “how long you have been holing up in this house?”

  
Arthur stopping his movement for a moment and then shrugging his shoulder at Merlin. “three weeks, maybe.”

  
“what? How you manage to stay alive?”

  
“well, morgana stop once in a while to give me premade food and stuff.”

  
Merlin glare at him, and Arthur just swallow his food thickly.

  
“stop that! you know what I mean.”

  
Arthur glare back at Merlin and fold his hand in his chest, ignoring his stomach plea for more food.

  
“i don’t know what you mean.”

  
“Arthur you know what I mean, look at you!... listen, you are a stubborn and stuffed by pointless pride, so I don't expect you to admit it. but I can see Sophia leaving you really hurt you a lot. You are broken heart.”

  
Arthur look at his friend incredulously and start shaking his his head with a small laugh.

  
“wha...”

  
“you haven’t been out of this house for three weeks, you are looking like a hobo in your own house, and I take it you haven’t go to work since then?”

  
Merlin look at him intently, his eyes is stubborn and in his arm baby James is still sleeping contently. Arthur releasing a long sigh and shake his head.

  
“I need a time off, morgana and leon taking care of things at work for me.”

  
Merlin nod his head and then he look at the baby in his arm tenderly.

  
“okay... right,” Merlin is looking at his baby’s face intently and then releasing a sigh “ok. you will take another two days off, and the you will go back to work. And I will help taking care of your baby for a while until we find someone capable to take care of him.”

  
“wha..? you can’t! What about your work..”

  
Merlin smile softly at the baby and rock him gently when the baby start to stir in his arm.

  
“I quit. That’s why i’m here and not in Durham.”

  
Arthur almost choking by his own split hearing Merlin’s reply.

  
“what do you mean you quit?”

  
Merlin shrug his shoulder and ignoring Arthur glare.

  
“well, I don’t really like corporate world anyway, so it’s not a hard choice to resign from the company. And I have enough money in me to be unemployed for a while, so.. yeah...”

  
“what?”

  
“and I always have a dream to be an author anyway, so maybe this is time for me to realise that.” Merlin smile broadly at him, and glance at the clock at the wall behind him. “oh! Look, guess it’s the time for baby James to say good night.”

  
Merlin walk to him and offering the baby face to him for a kiss. Arthur look at his baby face for a moment before he kiss the small nose.

  
“good night daddy.”

  
Arthur smile at Merlin childish way to imitate a baby voice, making it look like as if it’s James that say the word to him.

  
“night, baby boy.”

  
Merlin smile at him and rocking the baby gently in his arm, his friend then start walking. But then Merlin stop his steps and look at him with an unreadable face.

  
“Arthur?”

  
“yes?”

  
“I’m sorry for leaving you before. I should have stayed.”

  
Merlin leave him there, in the middle of his kitchen, gaping at his friend word.

  
\---

  
Honestly, Arthur didnt know what to make of Merlin’s word, he is upset at his friend before for leaving him a year ago, he really is, and Merlin is leaving right after his wedding. Arthur really didn’t know what to make of Merlin’s apology.

  
He is upset, yes. But now he realize it is not Merlin he is supposed to be upset with, his friend is just an employee in his company, although its his father company at that time, but still it’s not the point. The point is it is not Merlin’s fault that he must transfer to their branch in Durham, and it is also not his fault that Arthur world becoming very bland after his friend left.

  
Merlin is Arthur’s nanny’s son, Hunith. The first time he meet the boy Arthur is so mesmerized by the boy’s bright blue eyes and his almost blinding smile that he instantly taken by Merlin. And then after their first meeting at the age 5 years old, Arthur and Merlin is almost inseparable. Arthur never went along in his live without Merlin for longer than 3 days, and he is always sharing every moment happening in his life with his friend, that's why when Arthur ready having a new perfect life in his eyes with Sophia, he is really hurt that his friend is not there with him.

  
That’s why he is upset with his friend, and that’s why he never once called his friend to make his point to Merlin that he is mad that Merlin take the transfer without discussing things with him first. But that's is all in the past, now he is just glad that Merlin has come back home, to him. Merlin is here, in his very house, and Arthur will make sure that his friend will never leave again.

  
\-----

  
When Arthur make his way to the kitchen the next morning, he is greeted by a sparkling clean surface and a suspiciously delicious smelled porridge in the small dinning table.

  
“good morning, daddy” Merlin greet him with a high pitched baby voice from the corner recliner he placed in front of his wide kitchen window, the morning sunlight hitting Merlin’s and James’s hair, making a small halo above their heads, making the two look like a beautiful angel in his eyes, and Arthur is almost stopped breathing by the sight.  
Instead, he give his friend a bright smile in return.

  
“morning.” He make his way slowly toward his friend, didn’t want to wake his baby.

  
“its okay, he just finished his bottle like ten minutes ago and out like a light since then. He really is a good boy, if a little bit fussy with his nappy time.”

  
Arthur look at his son calm face with a small smile. “well, I don't know that, he is always fussy with me.”

  
Merlin smile at him and placing James in his arms “well, maybe he can sense you always give other a hard time with your fuss, that’s why he give you a taste for it.”

  
“why you!”

  
Arthur take James empty bottle and smack it lightly to his friend head, making Merlin releasing a light chuckle.

  
Merlin get up and push him to sit in the recliner with James still in his arm.

  
“anyway, eat your porridge and then try to relax some more with James today, baby can feel our distress so that’s maybe why he can’t calm down with you, you are to stressed.” Merin pour a glass of coffee and placed it near the porridge in the table.

  
“and I have some cleaning up to do. Oh! And you have to go groceries shopping soon too, we almost run out of.... everything.”

  
Merlin take the baby from his arm, and Arthur almost protesting his friend if not for Merlin content look.

  
“eat, and I will make some list for you to buy latter, and try to take a breath of some fresh air when you go shopping too, god know how long you have been holed up in here. And there is no canned and frozen food again for you as long as I’m here Arthur, those thing they called food....” Merlin goes around the kitchen and Arthur almost can picturing the list that already pilling in his friend head.

  
“yes granny _merrrrr_ lin.” Arthur is nodding his head and scoping some porridge with a small smile when a soft object hit his head, that turn out to be James plush toy, a gift from leon.

  
“shut up Arthur.” Arthur start grinning at his friend’s annoyed look.

  
\----

  
Arthur curses Merlin, when he struggle to unload the groceries from his car. He know the shopping list Merlin give him will be long, but he didnt know that it will be that long. It take Arthur almost 5 hours to complete buying all the item his friend write for him.

  
“I’m back!” he throw the front door open and start to take some bags inside the house.

  
“you know, I can used some help in here...”Arthur stopped his movement when he see his half sister making an ahh and ooh by James cooing. His baby is awake in his friend’s lap, and the baby is holding his friend finger while looking at his sister curiously.

  
His sister look at him with a blank expression before her face broke into an almost evil smirk.

  
“hello Arthur, I see you look better already, you must feel really great.”

  
Arthur look at his sister questioningly before he look at Merlin, his friend just shrugging his shoulder at him.

  
“yes Morgana, I do feel better. I do expect it’s because the groceries exercise I just do, thanks for your concern.”

  
“oh baby brother, you sure is funny.” Morgana smile sweetly at him, but Arthur have this trauma about his sister smile, it is always ring no good bell inside his stomach when his sister is smiling sweetly to him. Arthur suspect it have something to do with his childhood _accident_ when his sister, her sweet smile, a peanut butter and his allergies to peanut butter involved.

  
“anyway, I just make my daily visit and knocking on your door innocently, when a sight greet me. Imagine my surprise when i expect your sad self that greet me with you horribly ugly face it is Merlin instead that opening the door for me with his usual bright self. Shocked, that's me.”

  
Arthur stood in his place, not knowing wether to feel insulted by his sister word or just ignoring it because he kind of having a suspicion that she have something in her sleves.  
But Morgana just smile at Merlin with a different kind of sweet smile that Arthur think is oddly sincere and then start to gather her belonging, ready to leave.

  
“you are leaving already? Why not staying for a while and have a late luch with us?” Merlin placing James in his portable bassinet and smiling at morgana.

  
“oh that is so sweet of you Merlin, but I have to decline. There is alot to do in the office since someone I know decide its a good idea to leave his work unannounced for so long and leaving me to do his share of work.”

  
Arthur frowned at his sister, starting to get irritated by her sarcasm.

  
“I have you to know, I will be in the office the day after tomorrow, so you can stop doing that someone work because HE is pretty capable doing his job by his own.”

  
Instead retorting back his sarcasm, morgana is smiling knowingly at him and start making her way toward the door.

  
“I see... thats good. Well then, see you in the office then baby brother.”

  
Arthur is releasing his breath that he uncounciously holding when he hear his sister voice calling for him again.

  
“and Arthur... isn’t it good for you that Merlin is back?”

  
Arthur want to reply to his sister, but she is already gone when he looked back toward her. He look at Merlin in confusion that seems mirrored by his friend.

  
“what was that?”

  
“I have no idea.” His friend just shrugging at him, Arthur sigh and point at his back.

  
“help me bringing in the groceries.”

  
“kay”

  
\---

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beware for grammatical error, and misspelling. kudos and comment is loved and welcomed :)

Arthur scoop some more pudding to his mouth and grinning widely to the delicious taste, seated in front of him Morgana and Leon looking at him with unreadable face. Arthur has learned to ignore his friend and sister reaction since the fifth day he come back to work. Arthur didn’t know why his usually calm and unfazed sister is pulling the disbelief and frustrated face whenever he tell them rather pointedly _‘yes Leon, Merlin is back, and he is living in my house right now until he find a place of his own. You do still remember Merlin right? My good friend?’_ or whenever he bough his own lunch at their usual table in the cafeteria and tell them calmly ‘ _thank good i didn’t have to eat those thing like you guys, today Merlin waking up early to cook me this.’_ With a wistful eyes like he didn’t eat the same thing like them for the past years. And Arthur always show his lunch to them proudly and say dangerously to his horrified sister _‘you can look, but please do not touch my lunch. This portion is just enough for me ’_ and swat Leon greedy hand away from his dessert.

“so... uhh... you and Merlin... um... okay?” Leon is eyeing his pudding and rather looking a little bit uncomfortable, but Arthur just looking at his friend in puzzlement.

“of course we are okay. Actually, we can’t be more okay than now, and James is rather fond of Merlin, I can tell by the way my son always sought after him.”

“really? That’s good... I guess” Arthur smile appreciatively at Leon.

“Merlin still living with you then?” Morgana try to steal a scoop of his pudding, but Arthur skillfully swat her fork away and glare at her fake innocent face.

“yeah, he is. Actually I really don’t understand why he need to look for another place, it would be better if he just move with us though. It’s more practical that way.” Arthur frown when he remembering one evening when he caught Merlin looking at adds for apartment. Whatever he says his friend keep insisting to have his own place. Arthur think it will be better if Merlin just live with him, they have spare bedroom he rarely used, and Merlin can save money since his friend is still unemployed.

“right, practical.” Morgana snort at him, but Arthur just ignore her and keep eating his pudding.

\---

“merl.... i’m home..” Arthur throw his briefcase toward the sofa in his living room, and sigh heavily, His body start feeling sore from the amount of work he have in the office.

“we are here.” Merlin call from the nursery, Arthur smiled and start to walk toward his son room, and his smile getting wider when he see Merlin is getting James to dress, the fresh baby smell indicating that Merlin just done giving James his bath.

Arthur walk toward them and stand behind his friend and looking at James wide smiling face from his friend shoulder.

“hello...” Arthur make a face at his baby, James giggles at Arthur silly face and start flailing his arms to reach his father. Merlin laught at the baby and start nuzzling James stomach that makes James giggling even harder.

Arthur take James hand and start kissing the little baby finger one by one “eemm... my baby smell good... who smell good? Hm?”

“mee....” Arthur laugh loudly when he heard Merlin making his signature baby voice, making it as if James is the one answering to him.

They, together with James is start a giggling fit. And Arthur think, that this is good, it’s good that Merlin is with them now, and he don’t want this to change.

Merlin is good with them like this, and Arthur want to make sure that this moment is going to stay in their live. Merlin will stay at his and James life.

\----

Merlin is cooking them a simple dinner at Arthur request, and behind him, a few feet away Arthur is siting in the dinner table playing with James. It’s been two months since Merlin is back and gradually Arthur start to feel that his life becoming brighter again. He also manage to hold his baby and feed him without James falling into a fit of cry, James is also start to fill more and look more healthier for his age, his hand and feet becoming more chubbier just like a supposed 3 month baby does.

They also feel into a routine where he and Merlin will fit their schedule together to take turn to take care of James. They will take turn in the night to answer to James cry and take care of the baby, one night for Arthur to take care of James and losing a title bit of his sleep, and then the next night it will be Merlin’s turn. In the morning Merlin will start to make breakfast and lunch to go for him when Arthur start getting ready to work, then he will help Merlin to take care of James if his baby is waking up before they take breakfast together with Merlin taking his breakfast while he feed James his milk at the same times. Arthur will leave for work and he will came back hours latter to a clean house, folded laundry and a happy baby. Then Arthur will take care of James when Merlin make a dinner for them, and night after night those routine will be repeating over and over again, and somehow it’s make Arthur smile wider and wider everyday thinking they are making an almost perfect picture of domestic family.

“brrbblah...” Arthur chuckling at the sound his baby make and making a weird face to James that resulting to a loud giggles from the baby.

“oh... I almost forgot. We need to talk about the new baby sitter.” Arthur take his baby hand from his face and look at his friend to see a slight frown in Merlin’s face.

“what is it?” they start hiring a baby sitter a week after Merlin live with them, so there will be someone to take care of James when Merlin is not living with them anymore. But one by one, every baby sitter they hire is proved not good enough for their baby. The first baby sitter they hire is not really taking good care of James and somehow Merlin is doing almost all the work they suppose to do, the second is taking care of James alright but then Merlin is leaving her alone with James for a wile to go to groceries store and coming home to a screaming mad Arthur and the baby sitter is in the corner looking very terrified and very naked.

A wile latter, after Merlin got Arthur to calm down, he dressed and ask the baby sitter to go home, Arthur is explaining that he come home early in hope to spend more time with him and James only to find the baby sitter is laying naked in his bed and trying to seduce him, and that is when Arthur start seeing red and scream at her in rage.

This is their third baby sitter and she is good with James, doing her work nicely and didn’t make any pass at either at them (or more likely at Arthur). So Arthur think maybe they finally found the right one for James, but then when he see his friend face he is proven wrong.

“Lena is talking to me today, it’s look like her father is falling sick back in her hometown, and no one to take care of him, so she need to go and take care of him. she ask me if she can quite, since she didn’t know when she will be back.”

“oh, well that is a shame. I start to like her too...” Arthur frown and grumble inside, thinking now he must start to look for another baby sitter again.

Merlin sigh heavily and stop his movement. “you know, I think it’s time for us to stop looking for a baby sitter for a while. And it’s not like i’m not capable to look after James.”

Arthur take James in his arm and walk toward Merlin, “I know you are capable of doing that. But I hate it when you overwork yourself, you already taking care of the house and the meal, and you say you want to start to write something too, when you will find time to do that if you are busy to take care of other things?”

Merlin just smile at him widely and start to serve dinner quickly.

“I won’t overworked myself Arthur, i know my limit. Just believe me okay?”

Arthur actually still feeling worried for Merlin and doubtful, but then he choose to believe Merlin and nod his head weakly.

“okay, but promise me you will stop and tell me if you start to feel overwhelmed okay?”

Merlin nod his head eagerly.

“okay.”

\---

“hhmm.... aren’t you a good boy? Who is Merlin’s good boy? Hm...?” Merlin is placing James in his bassinet and the baby squeal at the funny face Merlin make.

“that’s right.... James is Merlin good boy.”

Merlin kiss the baby forehead and start the lullaby toy they hang above his little bed so James will fall asleep soon, Merlin hum softly and smiling when James start to yawn widely.

“sweet sleep Jamie. good night.” Merlin smile sweetly at the baby when James finally shut his eyes and start snoring softly.

Merlin make his way to his bedroom and change into his pajamas, he brush his teeth and ready to go to bed early when he remember something and pad softly toward the kitchen. He pour himself a cup of milk before he walk to the living room to take his laptop he place there earlier, he plan to write something for his short story before going to bed when he found Arthur is still up and watching a rerun football match in the TV.

“hey.” He place his milk in the coffee table and nudge Arthur a little to make him a room in the couch.

“hi, James asleep yet?” Arthur pull Merlin to sit closely with him and start watching the TV again after he see Merlin nod at his question, he reach his beer and take a gulp before he sigh heavily.

He feel Merlin hands creeping slowly at his shoulder, before he feel Merlin finger carefully massaging his shoulder to lose some knot in there.

“hhmm...” Arthur hum approvingly at his friend and try to make their position more comfortable by shifting slightly so his back is facing Merlin.

“your shoulder is to tense. Are you overworking yourself again in the office?” Merlin push a little harder in a spot that make Arthur wince slightly, but then he groan and relaxing more at his friend touch.

“i’m not, i’m just compensating the work because I neglecting it before when I just have James.”

Merlin just push his finger again in another spot in Arthur shoulder to answer his word.

“just don’t overwork yourself, we don’t want you to get sick because of exhaustion. Okay?”

Arthur nod and almost smiling at his friend caring word, “god know how troublesome you are when you sick, just like a _baby_. One baby is enough for this house, we don’t need two.”  

Arthur then tackle Merlin and start attacking his friend, going for Merlin ticklish spot he know very well. Merlin beg him to stop, but Arthur just ignore him and keep tickling Merlin, until the brunette is nothing but a limping giggling mess in his arm.

Arthur is feeling almost exhausted for tickling Merlin really hard, he then pull Merlin to settle in his arm, then they lay in the couch comfortably to take some breath after the tickling battle they just have.

Merlin snuggle himself in Arthur arm, so their position will be more comfortable. They watch the TV for a while in comfortable silence before the sleep come. The men is sleeping soundlessly in that position, before they wake up by James loud cry at 2 AM. Merlin then processing to check on the baby and Arthur make his way to his own bedroom.

The next morning they start they day like usual.

\----

“Merlin?”

Arthur go straight to his son nursery when he got back from work, worried about James health. He got a brief message from Merlin telling him that James got a high fever when he is in a meeting with an important potential client. He want to be home soon for his son and Merlin, but then Merlin is assuring him that James is alright and the baby temperature is already going down.

But Arthur can’t help to be worried for his son, after all this is James first fever. The little boy is never got sick before, that's why Arthur can’t find himself to calm down.

“hey.” Merlin greeted him when he lay James down in his bassinet. “you are early.”

Arthur frown when he see the exhaustion on Merlin face, he know that he took advantage of his friend and kind of using his kindness by taking care of him and his baby, that causing his friend constantly looking exhausted. But Arthur can’t help himself, when Merlin is back again and promising that he will stay Arthur take and think everything he know to make Merlin stay with him. and somehow his baby is giving him a reason to keep Merlin stay close to him.

“whats wrong?” Arthur give Merlin a small smile when he see his friend is frowning in concern at him.

“it’s nothing. Just worried about James.”

Arthur take a peek at his son, and can’t help but smile when he see his sleeping face.

“well, I just got him to sleep. He should be fine now, the fever is already going down.” Merlin is peeking at James behind his back. Arthur then nudged Merlin with his elbow gently, teasing his friend.

“you look tired. Why don’t you rest for a bit now? Let me take care of the rest.” Merlin is ready to resist him, but Arthur wont take any of it and cover his friend mouth with his palm.

“no, you already did enough. Take some rest Merlin, you look really tired. I hate it when you exhausted yourself like this.” Merlin is still shaking his head in protest, but Arthur is not easily swayed by his fried determination. He use his pout to convince his friend.

“please? For me?” Arthur know he won when Merlin released a big sigh and nod his head reluctantly.

“okay... but i will make dinner first, then i will rest like you say.” Merlin is already walking away, probably to go to kitchen to start dinner early, but Arthur take his friend wrist and pull Merlin to his side. Then Arthur sling his arm to his friend shoulder and leading Merlin toward his own bedroom.

“no, we will eat the takeout tonight. You will start resting from this moment, no working, no cooking, and I will look after James.” Arthur squeeze Merlin shoulder and put his other hand at Merlin upper arm, making Merlin facing him. he look carefully at his friend tired face, then he release a small sigh along with a gentle smile.

“Arthur...”

“just rest okay? I don’t want you getting sick too. You look really tired, and I don’t want you to work yourself into exhaustion.”

Merlin look at him for a few second before he give Arthur his bright grin,

“okay... I guess I could use some little sleep before dinner. A little rest never hurt right?”

“right.”

“Okay then.” Merlin step back from Arthur and opening his bedroom door, he look at Arthur for a few moment more with a small smile on his lips, before he shake his head and close the bedroom door.

Arthur is leaning at Merlin door with a matching grin in his face, he look at the wall in front of him for a moment before he push himself and drag his feet toward his own bedroom, wanting to change his suit into more comfortable clothes first before he start to watch after his son.

“I will call you when dinner is here.” He call out to Merlin, and smile more when he hear Merlin muffled okay from behind his friend closed door.

\---

They just finishing the dinner when James loud cry sounded from their baby monitor, Merlin start to drop his dinner and trying to get up when Arthur put a hand on his friend shoulder and shake his head no.

“I will get him.” Merlin looks like he is about to protest, but Arthur look at him pointedly, telling his friend with his eyes that he wont receive any of his friend protest. “stay, and rest.”

Merlin sight defeatedly and nod his head once before he pick his spoon once more and eat his dinner silently. Arthur take one last look at his friend before he make his way to his son’s room. He take jamie in his arm and sway gently to calm his son’s wails, taking a note that James temperature is rising again in an hour since the last he touch his son.

Arthur then start to walk slowly and sway in rhythm to calm James down, but his baby is ignoring his effort and just crying harder than before.

\---

“let me take him” it’s probably just minutes since his son start crying, but Arthur feel like it’s been hours, James is crying harder and harder, determined to break his eardrum with his loud wails. He look at Merlin hesitantly, reluctant to make Merlin do more for him and his son, his friend is looking really tired with the thin black bags under his eyes.

Merlin just roll his eyes, annoyed at him before striding toward him determinedly and take James from his hand.

“if you really want to help so much, why don’t you fill the bathtub with lukewarm water and get some towel ready, please?”

“why?”

Merlin sigh, he lay James in the changing table and start to undress him. “i’m going to give him a bath, to cool him down a little. His temperature is rising again.”

“oh..”

“yes, oh. Can you start the water now Arthur?”

“yea, sure.”

\---

After the bath, James start to calm a little, and Merlin is keeping the boy comfy and calm by laying with the boy in his bed, trying to make James feel as if he is still in his friend’s arm by draping a gentle palm on the baby stomach and petting James lightly, lulling James to sleep. They migrate to his bigger bed, so Merlin can lay together with James too, because his baby start to cry again if he can’t feel Merlin hands on his body. Arthur can’t even holding his son far more than a few minutes before the baby start to realize that he is not Merlin and then start to wail his lungs again.

Arthur take the milk bottle and some child paracetamol from the kitchen with him to his room, in case his baby start to wake up with high temperature again in the middle of the night.

Arthur stop in his doorway because the sigh that greet him in his room.

James is soundly asleep with Merlin petting his tummy gently, his friend look a few seconds away from falling asleep, the tiredness in his friend’s face is clouded by the gentle smile forming in his friend’s lips.

Arthur take some deep breath and put the stuff he bring in the night stand, before he join his son and his friend.

“hi.” He smile gently at Merlin, his friend is looking at him with clouded sleepy eyes.

“hi, sorry we take over your bed like this.”

“don’t worry about it, I don’t mind.” Arthur is tugging on some pillows and arrange it so his friend can lay on them comfortably. Merlin is smiling gratefully at him and sighing contedly when his head hitting the soft pillow.

“I want to go back to my room, but James will start to cry when I try to move him from your bed. And he will cry harder if i’m not by his like this.”

“I really don’t mind Merlin, it’s okay.”

They fall silent in a few minutes, and it didn’t take them long to fall asleep side by side facing each other, with only James little body between them.

And if then many night after that night they start to sleep in the same bed, even if James fever is already gone and the baby is already sleeping in his own bassinet, none of them is saying anything. And if the weeks after Merlin’s belonging is starting to take place in his room, Arthur is not mentioning anything against it.

\-----

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> My first MerThur fic, be kind? :) anyway, anyone know how to post original fiction here in here? please email me if you know. Hafsyah27@gmail.com  
> and finally edited for the misspelling and all the little bits, but my grammar is still sucks, so bear with me?


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